Pre-Arrival

Welcome to Canada and North Island College!

You've just joined a supportive community of teachers and students dedicated
to learning. You have lots of questions as you prepare your journey. Find your answers here.

Last-minute questions

We're sure you are looking forward to your travels to Canada with both excitement and perhaps some worry.

We would like to do anything we can to help you. Email us with any questions you have, about anything.
Big questions like "How do I get to the Comox Valley?" or small questions like "Do I need a raincoat?" - all of them are ok.

What to bring

It's always a challenge to decide what to bring. This list should help.

Pack clothing appropriate for Vancouver Island weather. You might want to check out our
weather office. Temperatures in the summer rises to +25 degrees Celsius and in the
winter the temperature can drop as low as -5 degrees Celsius. A raincoat and boots are a good idea for our winter rain.
Students on campus dress casually – jeans and T-shirts are normal.

Have enough cash or access to funds on a credit card to pay for your expenses for the first few weeks; including accommodation rent and damage deposit,
food, text books, and a bus pass. This would normally be $2,000 - $2,500 CDN.

We expect you will have paid most of your fall tuition fees. Any additional fees may be paid with Visa, MasterCard, debit card, bank draft, wire transfer,
Canadian cheque.

NICI is not able to provide financial assistance to international students. Please ensure you have enough money to cover your time in Canada.

We anticipate you will set up a bank account at one of our major banks, allowing you to transfer funds into the account as needed.
Major banks in each NIC community include the Royal Bank (RBC), TD Canada Trust, Scotia Bank, Bank of Montreal (BMO), and CIBC.

If you have a laptop or mini-computer, bring it. We have wireless service on campus. Wireless service is also available in most coffee shops, hostels and even
at some homestay families.

Bring photos of your family, your friends and other people or places to help you stay connected with home.

Bring a book or two as well as your own music! We are beginning an international music library – if you can share a CD with some music from your home
country we would gratefully add it to our collection.

If you use medical prescriptions, ensure you bring them. Also bring a written copy of your prescription as well as your eyeglass prescription.

Think about what you use each month that you will not be able to buy in Canada and pack that too. Check luggage limits with your airline too!